Australia's hopes of a win in Brisbane take a blow with Hazlewood injury

The bowler has been taken for scans on his calf

Australia’s chances of winning the third Test took a dramatic turn on the fourth day with Josh Hazlewood taken from the ground for scans.

Hazlewood, who missed the second match with a side strain and was put through a series of fitness Tests ahead of this Test, appeared to be in some discomfort before play on Tuesday.

After consulting coaches and physio he did not take the field with the side, but appeared later. He bowled an over before the drinks break; his first delivery slow and wayward.

Physio Nick Jones ran out with the drinks and a despondent Hazlewood left the ground soon after.

While he’d been stretching his side during the earlier conference the team says it is a re-occurrence of the original injury.

A statement was issued soon after:

“Josh Hazlewood reported calf awareness in this morning’s warmup. He will be taken for scans to assess the injury. Any updates will be shared in due course.”

Hazlewood missed the three match T20I series against Scotland in August, 2024 and has played only 17 of the 35 Tests since 2021.

He sustained a side strain in the opening Test of the 2022-23 summer in Perth, and missed the first two games of the series against South Africa that followed.

On return he suffered an achilles problem that sidelined him from the four-Test series against India after the Australian summer. He then missed the World Test Championship final with a side strain.

Hazlewood has 278 wickets at 24.58 and is one of the world’s best - when fit. His absence from the field will have a huge impact on Australia’s chance in this match as the side’s best hope laid with forcing the follow on in the time remaining.

That option will place enormous strain on Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins even if Mitch Marsh and Nathan Lyon shoulder more load. Potentially a game they had the running in may need to be iced to ensure the remaining members of the attack make it to Melbourne.

Australia’s prospects in this match took an earlier blow when Steve Smith dropped an easy chance of KL Rahul from the first ball of the morning. The Indian was on 33 at the time and has moved on past the half century mark before lunch.

The positive outcome of Hazlewood’s breakdown is that Scott Boland, the MCG specialist, will be brought back in. The Victorian took 6-7 against England there on debut in the 2020-21 Ashes. He followed up with seven wickets in Sydney.